We have heard your questions and confusions around what it means that the ICPS is a think-tank (and one of the only international think-tanks led fully by and for youth!). For us, this is a critical topic to what we want to do differently and how it can make an impact in the climate movement – so please read ahead!

The emergence of think-tanks

The concept of think-tanks can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, gaining prominence in the post-World War II era. These non-governmental institutions conducted research, analysis, and provided policy recommendations on various issues, including politics, economics, and international affairs.

Seen as an extension of the intellectual salons and policy discussions that have existed throughout history, think-tanks became a formal arena for developing policy proposals, often funded by influential individuals and corporations with market-liberal agendas in mind.

By setting up philantropic foundations and funding market-liberal think-tanks, wealthy individuals could hire researchers to develop studies and policy recommendations that would support their political agendas. Because of their founding in research, think-tanks could access spaces that individuals and corporations could not, and over time, these think-tanks gained increasing prominence in the political debate (especially in the US).

Notably, large fossil fuel companies are among the ones who has provided the most financial support to various think-tanks, often funding research sowing doubts in the effectiveness of environmental regulation, the cost of addressing climate change or issues relating to energy security. In this manner, they have managed to hamper the implementation of more stringent regulation and caused significant delays in addressing the climate crisis.

As the 20th century progressed, think-tanks diversified their areas of expertise. They began to address issues such as environmental concerns, healthcare, technology, and social policies. Their influence extended beyond national borders, with transnational think-tanks focusing on global challenges and international cooperation.

In recent times, the number of think-tanks have quickly profilerated keeping up with their growing significance in shaping policy across the world, in diverse issues ranging from social to economic to international and environmental agendas. At the same time, increasing public awareness and scrutiny have prompted calls for think-tanks to be more transparent about their financial connections, and it’s important to note that not all think-tanks have ties to big oil and gas companies, with many organizations maintaining their commitment to objective research and analysis.

Despite the challenges, think-tanks remain essential institutions in providing evidence-based research and policy recommendations. They bridge the gap between academia, government, and the public, contributing to informed public discourse and shaping policies that address complex challenges in our rapidly changing world.

“Think-tanks have shaped policy development across the world for centuries, for better or (many times) for worse.

We want to reimagine what a think-tank can do when it is led by young people who care about our common future. By utilzing the playbook of the wrongdoers, we hope to scale our impact and make things right.”

Björn Fondén, Founder

Design Goals

Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer’s wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cook stove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar—except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole.